Curtis Wayne Sagmoen is charged in relation to an Aug. 27, 2017 threats with firearm incident in the Salmon River Road area.

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VERNON - A man associated with a property in the North Okanagan where human remains were found remains in custody after a brief court appearance this morning.

Curtis Wayne Sagmoen, 36, is charged in relation to an Aug. 27 threats with firearm incident in the Salmon River Road area. 

Lawyers arranged to have the case — which was scheduled today, Oct. 26, for a bail hearing — put over to Nov. 23. Juan O’Quinn appeared on behalf of the Crown and Nick Jacob on behalf of Sagmoen’s legal counsel Lisa Jean Helps.

“We look forward to the resolution of the police investigation and for the matter to properly be before the justice system before we make any kind of comments on any evidence or process that the police are currently undertaking,” Helps said by phone.

A publication ban was also ordered today banning the publication of the identity of the victim in the case. 

Sagmoen’s charges include: disguising face with intent to commit an offence, intentionally discharging a firearm while reckless, uttering threats, careless use or storage of a firearm, possessing weapon for a dangerous purpose, and possession of methamphetamine dated Sept. 5. No additional charges have been laid against him. 

The charges stem from an incident in which a woman was threatened by a man who lived in the Salmon River Road area. The meeting was set up via an online dating website used by escorts and sex trade workers, police said in an earlier release.

Police tape is wrapped around 2290 Salmon River Road where police are conducting an intensive search, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017.

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

Sagmoen is associated with 2290 Salmon River Road, a roughly 24-acre farm in the North Okanagan where police are currently conducting a massive search. An arrest warrant dated Oct. 17 for Sagmoen lists 2290 Salmon River as his address. Police have not made any links between Sagmoen and the current search of the property.

Police began searching the farm one week ago, and announced on Oct. 21 they had found human remains. They have not said if the human remains belong to one or more people, or released any identities. During a press conference Wednesday, police asked the public to be patient and said it is premature to make any speculations until a positive identification is complete.

There is widespread speculation in the community that the case could be connected to one or more missing person cases in the North Okanagan.

FIVE WOMEN MISSING FROM NORTH OKANAGAN AND SHUSWAP IN PAST 20 MONTHS

Two women who lived on Yankee Flats Road — which runs parallel to Salmon River Road in the community of Silver Creek — went missing last year: Ashley Simpson and Deanna Wertz.

Police have previously said they do not believe foul play is involved in Wertz’s disappearance, but think it may have been involved in Simpson’s.

Another woman, Caitlin Potts, also went missing from the North Okanagan last year. Potts was an escort and vanished at the end of February. Her case is considered a homicide investigation.

Traci Genereaux, a Vernon teen, went missing at the end of May and Nicole Bell in September. Bell was last seen in Sicamous.

Police have not drawn any links between the Salmon River Road search and the missing women.

— This story was updated at 1:45 p.m. Oct. 26, 2017 to add a comment from Sagmoen's lawyer. 

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